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Codes & Standards

Codes and standards are the guiding force behind the hearth and barbecue industry. There are building codes, fire prevention codes, safety standards, construction standards and much more. In the following pages you will be able to research which codes and standards relate to your area of interest and where to get more detailed information. Also, you will be able to determine when that code or standard may be updated or when there will be a meeting of a task force related to it.

Before you get started...

Codes are typically legal documents that have the force of groups such as the International Code Council (ICC) behind it and are enforced by such groups through building inspectors.

Standards are guidance documents, often written by experts in their field. They are created by Standards Development Organizations (SDO's) with Code Groups looking to the SDO's for guidance in writing code.

2015 Codes and Standards Currently Under Revision:

The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 211 Committee met in March, working toward agreed-upon language for the next version of the standard. The original language, in place prior to the March meeting, would have presented many problems in hearth maintenance by forcing the service person to use only certified and listed products. That would disallow repair on any products which no longer are supported by a manufacturer. The standards language was modified at the March meeting to allow for options other than just certified and listed or as approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. HPBA feels that if the changes get approval at the ballot stage, it will be a very positive, useful outcome for the industry. The ballots for NFPA 211 will go out to the committee soon, with balloting closing on July 10th and the results being made available on July 13th.

CSA Z21.50—changing the name of the standard to include the word “Decorative”.

Delayed Ignition in gas fireplaces—We will have a statement paper on the issue soon

Gasketed Fireplace Issue (IRC 2009 & IRC 2012):

HPBA is concerned with the number of municipalities and states that are now adopting or have adopted either the 2009 or the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC). Contained in the 2009 IRC is the requirement to use gasketed fireplace doors. The code states: R1001.13 Fireplaces. New wood-burning fireplaces shall have gasketed doors and outdoor combustion air. HPBA was able to get this constraint out of the 2012 IRC, but it lived on in a section referred to as “the checklist.” After attempting to get the requirement removed from the 2012 IRC by stating the safety hazard involved (by requiring something that would be a violation of the safety standard of UL 127 fireplaces and a possible fire hazard), we were turned down by the International Code Council (ICC). HPBA was finally able to get all language regarding “gasketed doors” removed from the 2015 IRC.

This is a dangerous requirement. UL 127 fireplaces are typically not tested with gasketed fireplace doors and the addition of these products may cause heat buildup within the unit for which they are not tested. In fact, the word “gasket” or “gasketed” are not contained within the UL 127 Standard. This can very easily create operational concerns due to excess heat buildup.

It is essential that, when confronted with this issue by a local building official (Authority Having Jurisdiction or “AHJ”),your approach should be that the gasketed door requirement ran contrary to manufacturers’ installation instructions and was a safety concern of the manufacturers installation instructions and that it has (as of the 2015 code) been removed as a requirement.